Wednesday, December 14, 2011

'UK publisher Self Made Hero has positioned itself on the cutting edge of British comics publishing, producing a wide variety of high quality books. Volume one of The Lovecraft Anthology is no exception.

Visually, this is a stunning collection. The production values are extremely high but more importantly, the artwork is varied and of exceptional quality. Each artist brings their own unique vision of Lovecraft’s imaginative genius, challenging themselves to channel his peculiar brand of cosmic psycho-horror with innovative page layouts, bizarre creature designs, and clear storytelling. D’Israeli and Shane Oakley were my favorite artists of the bunch but each and every contributor really knocked it out of the park.

The Lovecraft Anthology is definitely an artist’s book, in terms of creative contribution. This isn't to take anything away from the exceptional stable of writers assembled for the collection but Lovecraft’s voice is so distinct and robust it overpowers the unique characteristics of those adapting his work. While every writer approaches the work with obvious passion and respect, making excellent storytelling and plot choices, none of them really takes the opportunity to deviate from straight adaptation. This is perhaps as it should be. The Lovecraft Anthology isn't meant to reinterpret these classic tales of horror but pay tribute to them through translation into a different, visual storytelling medium.

Perhaps one of the best anthologies I've come across in the last couple of years at least, The Lovecraft Anthology is a great introduction for those unfamiliar with his extensive body of work, touching upon all of the major beats in his literary career. For those readers already lost in the mountains of madness, exploring the visual interpretations of Lovecraft’s universe realized by this superlative stable of artists is well worth the cover price'